Ken Hodcroft
Encyclopedia
Ken Hodcroft is the managing director of Increased Oil Recovery and the chairman of Hartlepool United F.C.
(HUFC).
but moved to Leeds
when he was five with his family. There he was educated at Leeds Grammar School
and took his A-Levels. It was at Leeds Grammar that his passion for both football and rugby grew. During his time there, he also gained an O level maths a year early, did additional maths (Oxbridge), and the following year acquired chemistry
, physics
and biology
A-Levels. Hodcroft considered becoming a doctor
but was put off by the 5-year course. Thus, he returned to Newcastle to study and gain a 2.1 Honours degree in chemical engineering at the University of Newcastle instead. He then went to Imperial college,London to study for an Msc in Petroleum Engineering. He had been influenced to study Petroleum Engineering
and to work in the Oil business after watching The Troubleshooters, a 1970s television programme about the oil industry.
in Louisiana
, Texas
, and Bartlesville, Oklahoma
. While at Bartlesville he played football for Tulsa Roughnecks
and was offered a contract there. However, he rejected it in favour of a career in the oil business.
Shortly afterwards, Hodcroft moved to Norway
to continue working for Phillips Petroleum
. After 7 years he moved to Aberdeen
, Scotland
. It was there where he decided to form the oil
company IOR after seeing a gap in the market. IOR was based in Aberdeen
and is still successfully running today.
1997, Ken Hodcroft then moved back into football when IOR bought Hartlepool United
from Harold Hornsey. Hodcroft then took over as chairman. During Hodcroft’s reign as chairman he has appointed four managers: Chris Turner in 1999, Mike Newell
in 2002, Neale Cooper in 2003 and Martin Scott. In 2005 after the departure of Neale Cooper, Hodcroft was heavily criticised by the fans of Hartlepool for having a “lack of ambition”. However, Hodcroft responded issuing a statement stating that IOR were fully committed to the club http://www.hartlepoolunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10326~662166,00.html. His fifth manager, Danny Wilson, was appointed in 2006 and left in December 2008. Chris Turner,Hartlepools Director of Sport , was appointed temporary manager.
Hodcroft has also had out-spoken views regarding football agents and has refused to co-operate with agents, “if you want to work for us then don't send your agents.”http://www.theclarion.co.uk/the_north_east/sport/football/hartlepool/news/280603.html Hodcroft also pursued a feud with Michael Nelson’s agent following his demands for a more lucrative contract and stated that the club will not be held to ransom, “"If individual players or their agents do not like the way we do business then they will either have to adapt or find a club that is willing to succumb to their demands.”http://rivals.net/default.asp?sid=958&p=2&stid=8363953.
Since taking the club over, Ken Hodcroft and IOR have made substantial losses. At the club’s AGM
meeting Hodcroft reported a loss of £184,000 for the financial year of 2005. Despite making a loss it was a major improvement on loss of around £500,000 in 2004 and 2003 and a loss of £900,000 for the year of 2002. Hodcroft has also revealed that IOR have provided Hartlepool with over £7.0 million of funding. Ken Hodcroft also funded the £500 fee for mascot H'Angus the Monkey, otherwise known as Stuart Drummond
, to run for mayor.
The latest AGM notes can be found on the Clubs website at www.hartlepolunited.co.uk
The Club celebrated its Centenary in 2008 and 10 years of IOR ownership in September 2007.The Club has had its most successful time in those ten years reaching play off after playoff and a playoff final at Cardiff where the Club was 8 minutes from winning and being promoted to the Championship .
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
(HUFC).
Early life
Ken Hodcroft was born in NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
but moved to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
when he was five with his family. There he was educated at Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school in Leeds established in 1552. In August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008....
and took his A-Levels. It was at Leeds Grammar that his passion for both football and rugby grew. During his time there, he also gained an O level maths a year early, did additional maths (Oxbridge), and the following year acquired chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
A-Levels. Hodcroft considered becoming a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
but was put off by the 5-year course. Thus, he returned to Newcastle to study and gain a 2.1 Honours degree in chemical engineering at the University of Newcastle instead. He then went to Imperial college,London to study for an Msc in Petroleum Engineering. He had been influenced to study Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum engineering
Petroleum engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the activities related to the production of hydrocarbons, which can be either crude oil or natural gas. Subsurface activities are deemed to fall within the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, which are the activities of...
and to work in the Oil business after watching The Troubleshooters, a 1970s television programme about the oil industry.
Business career
After university, Hodcroft moved to the US for two years and worked for the oil company Phillips PetroleumPhillips Petroleum
Phillips Petroleum Company was founded in 1917 by L.E. Phillips and Frank Phillips, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Their younger brother Waite Phillips was the benefactor of Philmont Scout Ranch....
in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. While at Bartlesville he played football for Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
and was offered a contract there. However, he rejected it in favour of a career in the oil business.
Shortly afterwards, Hodcroft moved to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to continue working for Phillips Petroleum
Phillips Petroleum
Phillips Petroleum Company was founded in 1917 by L.E. Phillips and Frank Phillips, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Their younger brother Waite Phillips was the benefactor of Philmont Scout Ranch....
. After 7 years he moved to Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It was there where he decided to form the oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
company IOR after seeing a gap in the market. IOR was based in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and is still successfully running today.
Career as Chairman of HUFC
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
from Harold Hornsey. Hodcroft then took over as chairman. During Hodcroft’s reign as chairman he has appointed four managers: Chris Turner in 1999, Mike Newell
Mike Newell (footballer)
Michael Colin "Mike" Newell is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player he notably was a member of the Blackburn Rovers team which won the Premier League in 1995, as well also playing for Crewe Alexandra, Wigan Athletic, Luton Town, Leicester City, Everton,...
in 2002, Neale Cooper in 2003 and Martin Scott. In 2005 after the departure of Neale Cooper, Hodcroft was heavily criticised by the fans of Hartlepool for having a “lack of ambition”. However, Hodcroft responded issuing a statement stating that IOR were fully committed to the club http://www.hartlepoolunited.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10326~662166,00.html. His fifth manager, Danny Wilson, was appointed in 2006 and left in December 2008. Chris Turner,Hartlepools Director of Sport , was appointed temporary manager.
Hodcroft has also had out-spoken views regarding football agents and has refused to co-operate with agents, “if you want to work for us then don't send your agents.”http://www.theclarion.co.uk/the_north_east/sport/football/hartlepool/news/280603.html Hodcroft also pursued a feud with Michael Nelson’s agent following his demands for a more lucrative contract and stated that the club will not be held to ransom, “"If individual players or their agents do not like the way we do business then they will either have to adapt or find a club that is willing to succumb to their demands.”http://rivals.net/default.asp?sid=958&p=2&stid=8363953.
Since taking the club over, Ken Hodcroft and IOR have made substantial losses. At the club’s AGM
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
meeting Hodcroft reported a loss of £184,000 for the financial year of 2005. Despite making a loss it was a major improvement on loss of around £500,000 in 2004 and 2003 and a loss of £900,000 for the year of 2002. Hodcroft has also revealed that IOR have provided Hartlepool with over £7.0 million of funding. Ken Hodcroft also funded the £500 fee for mascot H'Angus the Monkey, otherwise known as Stuart Drummond
Stuart Drummond
Stuart Drummond is the first directly-elected mayor of Hartlepool in North East England. He was first elected in 2002 and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009. He was the first elected mayor in Britain to win a third term.-Biography:...
, to run for mayor.
The latest AGM notes can be found on the Clubs website at www.hartlepolunited.co.uk
The Club celebrated its Centenary in 2008 and 10 years of IOR ownership in September 2007.The Club has had its most successful time in those ten years reaching play off after playoff and a playoff final at Cardiff where the Club was 8 minutes from winning and being promoted to the Championship .